“I don’t get my period after getting sick with Covid” or “I’ve been spotted for months after the vaccine” are some comments that we have discussed among friends, family or co-workers. There are many women who have noticed changes in menstruation after getting sick with Covid or having received the vaccine , but until now there was not enough data on how many women have been affected by these changes.

To delve into the impact of the pandemic on women’s cycle, a study by the University of Extremadura , carried out by doctors Cristina Carrasco and Ana B. Rodríguez, together with the collaboration of gynecologist and obstetrician Miriam Al Adib , reveals the first conclusions about it. It is the study with the largest number of participants on the subject, and the first conclusions are quite revealing.

Alterations in the menstrual cycle

In a survey of 17,515 women of legal age, both menstruating and amenorrhea (without menstruation – either due to pregnancy , menopause or some other cause-).

Parameters such as the length of the menstrual cycle, menstrual bleeding pattern, eventual bleeding and premenstrual symptoms were analyzed.

Half of the women (between 45 and 50%) confirmed having suffered some type of alteration in their menstrual cycle, both after having passed Covid-19 and after having received the vaccine.

49% of women report some alteration in terms of duration, pattern of menstrual bleeding, appearance of ‘spotting’ – small spots of bleeding without having the period- or occasional bleeding and premenstrual symptoms . These alterations have been maintained to date in 44.8% of cases.

Among women vaccinated after the first dose, 46.8% reported changes in cycle length and 44.5% in period flow. 

These data increase after receiving the second dose. 49% had alterations in terms of the duration of the period and 47% in the flow.

There are other studies that warn of changes in the female menstrual cycle after the vaccine, although some speak of ” a slight alteration” . 

The data collected in this study show that it is necessary to warn of this possible secondary effect of the vaccines as it is done with other effects, even if they are mild and transitory in most cases. 

The researchers continue to investigate to analyze in depth the data collected, and thus be able to draw more specific conclusions about the effect of Covid on the menstrual cycle. Have you noticed changes?